Scrubbing-machine.



E. ROSS. v SCRUBBING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a. 1915.

1,16%218, I Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cm, WASHINGTON, n. c.

ELIZABETH ROSS, OF PORTSMOUTH, OHIO.

SCRUBBING-MACHINE.

Application filed September 3, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELIZABETH Ross, a citizen of the United States. residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Scioto and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scrubbing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of brushing and scrubbing machines and is more specifically concerned with the provision of a machine for the mopping, scouring or polishing of floors.

As a principal object, it is contemplated by this invention to produce a floor mopping machine whichshall include a wheel adapted to rotate by contact with a floor surface as the machine is propelled thereover, the rotary motion of the wheel being translated into a reciprocatorv motion adapted to be imparted to mop handles by means associated with the wheel to complete the or ganized machine.

A coordinate object is to provide a floor mopping or scouring machine which shall include reciprocatory pitmen fitted with spring clips for the removable accommodation of ordinary mop handles therein, in order that the motion of the pitmen may be transmitted directly to the mops as a substitute for the usual manual stroke necessary to properly wield such scouring implements.

The above and additional objects which will be hereinafter more specifically treated are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

With reference to the drawings, wherein there is illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which like characters of reference designate similar parts: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the floor scouring machine of this invention, parts being broken away, and Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the same subject-matter.

The usual back breaking work of floor scrubbing was only slightly alleviated by the introduction of the long handled mop, owing to the energetic handling necessary for successful use of the instrument. It is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Serial No. 48,819.

proposed by thisinvention, however, to provide means for wielding a mop which will necessitate the mere propulsion of the machine across the floor surface to be scrubbed by the operator, this movement being sufficient to impart, through the medium of means to be immediately set forth, the proper scrubbing stroke to a plurality of mops which are removably supported upon the machine.

The machine includes a central drive wheel 5 which is preferably fitted with the cushion tire 6 to prevent scarring or disfigurement of the floors and furniture. Upon each lateral face this wheel carries a crown gear '7 which serves as the primary means for translating rotation of the wheel as it is propelled along a floor surface to the reciprocatory motion desired. Handles 8 are loosely mounted upon the wheel axle 9 and extend upwardly therefrom to a suitable cross bar connection 10 adapted to be grasped by the operator for the propulsion of the machine. Plates 11 and 12 are secured to the handles 8 at suitable points on opposite sides of the wheel axle and serve to support the termini of a substantially U-shaped bracket 13 on each side of the wheel 5. These brackets 13 are each formed with a leg 14 paralleling the surface contacted with by the wheel 5 the central portions of each bracket being formed with a boss 15 in which is rotatably mounted a beveled gear 16 adapted to have meshing engagement with respective crown gears 7.

Secured to the handles 8 adjacent the cross bar 10 are spring clips 17 which are adapted to accommodate the reciprocatory pitmen 18. Each of these pitmen carries a bracket 19 which is adapted to encompass the prolonged extremities of the wheel axle 9, in order to prevent displacement of the pitman without limiting the reciprocatory movement which is imparted thereto through the medium of pins or arms 20 eccentrically mounted on each gear 16 and having suitable balland-socket or universal joint connections designated 21 as an entirety with each pitman bracket 19. Each of the pitmen 18 is provided with a number of spring clips 22 in which may be removably seated the handles of mops which are indicated by the dotted lines 23 of Fig. 1. a

In operating the machine to effect a desired scrubbing or scouring of a floor surface, mops 23 have their handles inserted into the spring clips of the pitmen 18 and the operator then grasps the handle bar 10 and pushes the machine across the floor to be scrubbed. Rotary motion of the wheel 5 as the machine is propelled effects a consequent rotation, through the medium of the gears 7 and 16 upon each side of the wheel of the eccentric pins 20 which will, accordingly, impart to each pitman 18, and to the mop carried thereby a combined reciprocatory and circular motion. Small pulley wheels 24 are preferably employed to support the bracket arms 11 to render the device stable when not in operation.

While in the foregoing, however, there has thus, been illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification such combination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is desired to emphasize the fact that such minor changes in the matters of proportion and degree may be made in later adaptations of this device as shall not alter the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A floor scouring machine including a .wheel, handles loosely mounting the Wheel,

pitmen slidably mounted upon the handles, means carried by each pitman for removably accommodatlng a nrop handle, and

means connected with the wheel for the re- 'ciprocatlon of sald pltmen.

2. A floor scouring machine including a wheel, gears projecting from the lateral faces of the wheel, handles loosely mounting the wheel, brackets supported by said handles, gears mounted by said brackets to mesh respectively with first said gears, pitmen, means for supporting the mop handles upon said pitmen, and connections between second said gears and said pitmen.

A floor scouring machine including a wheel, gears projecting from the lateral faces of the wheel, handles loosely mounting the wheel, brackets secured to the handles, pitmen slidably supported by said handles, gears meshing respectively with the first said gears, and mounted in said handle brackets, an arm eccentrically carried by each of second said gears, and universal joint connections between said arms and said pitmen.

1. A floor scouring machine including a wheel, gears projecting from the lateral faces of the wheel, handles loosely mounting the wheel, brackets secured to the handles. pitmen slidably supported by said handles. gears meshing respectively with the first said gears, and mounted in said handle brackets, an arm eccentrically carried by each of second said gears, universal joint connections between said arms and said pitmen, and spring clips carried by each pitman for the removable seating of a mop handle.

5. A floor scouring machine including a wheel, an axle. gears projecting from the lateral faces of the wheel, handles loosely mounted upon said axle, brackets supported by said handles, gears mounted ,in said brackets for respective engagement with the first said gears, pitmen slidably mounted by said handles, bracket means carried by each pitman and adapted to loosely encompass said axle, and eccentric driving connections between each pitman and each of second said gears.

6. A floor scouring machine including a wheel, an axle, gears projecting from the late 211 faces of the wheel, handles loosely mounted upon said axle, brackets supported by said handles, gears mounted in said brackets for respective engagement with the first said gears, pitmen slidably mount ed by said handles, bracket means carried by each pitman and adapted to loosely oncompass said axle, eccentric driving connections between each pitman and one of the second said gears, and spring clips carried by each of said pitmen for the removable accommodation of a mop handle.

7. A floor scouring machine including a wheel, gears projecting from the lateral faces of the wheel, an axle for the wheel, handles loosely mounted upon said axle,

brackets dependent from said handles, gears mounted in said brackets for respective engagement with the first said gears, pitmen, spring clips carried by said handles to slidably mount said pitmen, brackets carried by said pitmen to loosely encompass said axle, arms eccentrically carried by each of second said gears, and universal joint conncc tions between respective arms and pitman brackets.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature hereto.

ELIZABETH ROSS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

